Primary
destinations: Christchurch | Length 17.8 km | |
East end: SH 74/Christchurch–Lyttelton Motorway near Christchurch West end: SH 1 at Hornby, Christchurch | ||
State Highway 76 (SH 76) is a state highway in Christchurch, New Zealand. This highway was gazetted in 2012 after stage 1 of the Christchurch Southern Motorway was completed. Beforehand, much of SH 76 was part of SH 73 and included the former two-lane Christchurch Arterial Motorway, which was upgraded to four lanes. SH 76 includes the entire length of the Christchurch Southern Motorway and forms the most direct route from the south of Christchurch to the city centre and Lyttelton.
Contents
Map of State Highway 76, Christchurch, New Zealand
Route
The highway currently begins at a grade separated intersection with SH 74 on the northern approach to the Lyttelton road tunnel. It travels east to west through suburban Christchurch via Port Hills Road, Opawa Road and Brougham Street. This section of road used to be part of SH 73 and the speed limit is mostly 60 kilometres per hour (37 mph). At the western end of Brougham Street at the Collins Street/Simeon Street lights, the Christchurch Southern Motorway commences. The speed limit here is 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph). Midway up the motorway is the Curletts Road interchange, a major interchange where two state highways commence: SH 75 to Akaroa via Banks Peninsula and SH 73 to the West Coast via Arthur's Pass.
The motorway continues west until it reaches Halswell Junction Road where it ends at a roundabout intersection. SH 76 then continues in a north-west direction at a 70 kilometres per hour (43 mph) limit until it terminates at SH 1 in Islington, just west of Hornby.
Future
As part of the government's Roads of National Significance, stage 2 of the Christchurch Southern Motorway is due to commence construction in October 2016. This will extend SH 76 to terminate with SH 1 further west near the intersection of Robinsons Road.